This Past Week

This last week went by so fast! Coffee harvest is running at full speed. We just dropped off close to 500 lbs of cherries at the processing plant and I can see that we will have another round of picking soon.

Last week we spent 2 nights on an island in Boca Brava. I had never been to this part of Panama before. The hotel (Boca Brava Hotel) had very friendly staff and we saw quite a few howler monkeys and vultures. There are water taxis that can be hired to take people to the other islands with sandy beaches for snorkeling and sun-bathing. We went to one of the other islands that was about 30 minutes away by water taxi. I got a little too much sun on my shoulders, but after hearing about some weather reports in other parts of the world, I am not complaining too loudly.

Another place that we went that was a first for me was to see the Boquete Optical SETI Observation Station. SETI is looking for intelligent life outside of Earth and the only full-time operating station is located here in Boquete. Ben built and runs the station on his own property. Ben has a bachelor's in physics and math, was a radioman in the US Naval Reserves and then later worked as an engineer in the development of mass spectrometers. He is very passionate about the SETI/METI project and had an impressive setup.

We also ate at a few restaurants that I have not been in for a long time or had never been in. I think my diet will have to start tomorrow after all the food we ate!

Oh yeah...the coffee flies decided to eat me for dessert this last week. I am not sure what I did to make them mad, but they have attacked my legs. Rick's legs are fine, but I look like I have a mild case of the chicken pox or something from my knees to my ankles! I guess I need to be more careful with bug repellant when I am working with the coffee. We even had massages one day last week and the massage therapist went out the next day and got herbs from her neighbor to help keep the coffee flies away...crossing my fingers that helps too! Normally if I eat foods with some garlic, I don't even have to worry about repellant. Maybe eating out so much did not help this last week, so last night and today at lunch I made sure I put fresh garlic on my food. My breath might not be great right now, but if it keeps the coffee flies away, I don't care! I guess I should get back to work, tons to still do today before it gets dark.